Display-cabinet.



A.T.DUNGAN.'

DISPLAY CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED PEBJZ; 1910. 977,080. Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

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A. T. DUNCAN. DISPLAY OABINBT. APPLIOA'IIOH FILED IEB.12. 1910.

' 977,080. Patented Nov. 29,1910.

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I Q g k i J 3 W N flrZfizZWZTfizz/zm/z UNITE STATES PATEN QFFICE.

ARTHUR T. DUNCAN, OF CLINTON, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO JOHN M. WILLIAMS, 0F CLINTON, MISSOURI.

DISPLAY-CABINET.

oragoso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed February 12, 1910. Serial No. 543,465.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, in the county of Henry and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Display-Cabinet, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide, in a novel, merchantable, and inexpensive form, a device for displaying habiliments of various sorts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mounting for a display cabinet, whereby the cabinet may be so manipulated, within a minimum space, as to expose or to inclose the contents of the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide cooperating cabinets, so mounted that they may be alined to have their contents exposed; or brought together so that they may constitute a complete inclosure for their contents.

The drawings show but one form of the invention, and it is to be understood that changes, properly falling within the scope of what is claimed, may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompany drawings, wherein like numerals of reference are employed to denote like parts, Figure 1 shows the invention in perspective; Fig. 2 is a perspective of the track; Fig. 3 is a plan of the track; Fig. 4 is a transverse section 011 the line AB of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line CD of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of one of the cabinets; Fig. 7 is a fragmental section of one of the cabinets, one of the casters which are mounted thereon being shown in elevation; Fig. 8 is a similar view, designed to supplement Fig. 7, in delineating certain of the casters which are mounted upon the cabinets; and Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective of a portion of the track.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a fixed horizontal support of any desired character, such for instance as a shelf, or the flooring of a building. Secured to the supports and alined longitudinally with each other, are angle members 2 and 3, hav- 'ing their adjacent ends spaced apart, the members 2 and 3 constituting what will be denominated hereinafter, the main track. Extended at right angles to the elements 2 and 3 respectively, are other angle members 4 and 5, located at the adjacent ends of the elements 2 and 3. Located between the adjacent ends of the tracks 2 and 3, and extended against the ends of the tracks 3 and 4, is a block 6, having, as shown in Fig. 3, parallel grooves 10 defining between them, ribs 7 and 8, the rib 7 forming a continuation of the track 5 and the rib 8 forming a continuation of the track 4. These grooves 10 are crossed rectangularly by other parallel grooves 11, defining between them a rib 9, the same constituting an extension of the tracks 2 and 3.

The invention further includes a pair of cabinets shown most clearly in Fig. 1. These cabinets l2 and 31 are box-like structures, similar in construction, each of the cabinets 12 and 31 being open upon one of their upright sides. The cabinets are provided with solid bottoms 14, and glass 15 may be introduced into the side walls of the cabinets in order to display the contents thereof, which may be suspended within the cabinets by any sortof devices ada ted to the proper ends. The cabinets 12 ant 31 are identical in construction save in so far as hereinafter modified, and a description of one of them will suflice for a description of the other.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 6, it will be seen that the cabinets 12 and 31 are provided along their end edges 16, and upon their bottoms 14, with pivotally mounted double casters 17 and 21, the caster 17 being located adjacent what will be termed the front corner 18 and the caster 21 being located adjacent the rear corner 19. Adjacent the other corners of the cabinet are mounted single, pivotally supported casters 20. The casters l7 and 21 are adapted to ride upon the tracks hereinbefore described, while the casters bear directly upon the support 1.

Located in the bottom 14 adjacent to caster 17 is a depending pin 22, a similar pin 23 being located adjacent the caster 21. Located inthe angle defined by the members 3 and 5 u on the one hand, and by the members 2 and 4 upon the other, and secured to the support 1, are stops 24, the heads 25 of which are elevated above the support 1. In the remote edges of the heads 25, there are notches 26, while in the end edges of the said heads, there are notches 27.

The several casters 17, 20 and 21, may be of any form. One of the double casters is delineated in Figs. 7 and 8. It will there be seen that a pivot pin 28 is extended through the bottom 14 of the cabinet, this pivot pin serving as a pivotal mounting for a casing 29 carrying a pair of spaced wheels 30, which, as seen most clearly in Fig. 6, are grooved, as shown at 33, to ride upon the rails. Upon the ends of the cabinets 12 and 31, are handles 32, adapted at once to serve as a means for nanipulating the cabinets and for locking them together, under certain conditions which will be described hereinafter.

In practical operation, both of the cabinets 12 and 31 may be disposed in the position which is occupied by the cabinet 31 in Fig. 1. lVhen the cabinets are thus disposed, it will be seen that they will be alined, their open sides being disposed outwardly, so that the shop-keeper can readily remove the contents of the cabinet, to display such contents before prospective purchasers. When the cabinets 12 and 31 are thus alined, the rear double casters 21 will be disposed upon the members 2 and 3, adjacent the block 6, and extended partly upon the ribs 9. The double casters 17 which are located at the frontof the cabinets 12 and 31, will, as seen most clearly in Fig. 1, be disposed relatively near to the free ends of the tracks 1 and 5, the casters 20 bearing upon the support 1. hen it is desired to close the cabinets together, the handles 32 will be grasped, and the cabinets moved in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 1, the cabinet 12 being shown in what for convenience, may be denominated its partially closed position. Obviously, when the open sides of the cabinets 12 and 31 are brought together, the cabinets will be united to form a single, closed, box-like structure, adapted adequately to house the contents of the separate cabinets.

In moving the cabinet from the position occupied by the cabinet 31, to that occupied by the cabinet 12, the double casters 21 atthe rear of the cabinets will move away from the block 6, toward the remote ends of the tracks 2 and 3, While the double casters 17 which are located at the front of the cabinets will move from positions adjacent the free ends of the tracks 4 and 5, to positions adjacent the block 6, the said double casters ultimately riding upon the ribs 7 and 8, to the rear of the tracks 2 and 3, thus permitting the open faces of the cabinets to be brought together between the tracks 4 and 5.

hen both of the cabinets are disposed in the position occupied by the cabinet 31 in Fig. 1, the pins 23 will be in engagement with the notches 26 in the heads 25 of the stops 2 1. lVhen, however, the cabinets 12 and 31 are swung into parallel relation, to bring their open sides together, the pins 22 will be in engagement with the notches 27. The engagement between the pins 22 and 23 and the stops 24, thus serves to limit the movement of the double casters 17 and 21 upon their respective tracks and to preventthe said casters from running off the ends of the tracks.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a fixed main track; fixed auxiliary tracks extended from the intermediate portion of one side of the main track; display members having pivotally mounted elements to engage the main track and pivotally mounted elements to engage the auxiliary tracks.

2. A device of the class described comprising a fixed main track; fixed auxiliary tracks extended from the intermediate portion of one side of the main track; display members having pivotally mounted elements to engage the main track and pivotally mounted elements to engage the auxiliary tracks; and fixed stops to limit the movement of the elements along the tracks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR T. DUNCAN. lVitnesses SUE E. HOLLIDAY, V. M. STEVE-NS. 

